Goldstone launches IPTV service in Thailand

MUMBAI: Goldstone Technologies Ltd has launched commercial operations of its IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) services in Thailand, in partnership with Synap Media & Infotech Co. Ltd, a business group which is aspiring to have a strong presence in the hospitality industry in the country.

Apart from Thailand, distribution agreements have been signed for France, Belgium and Spain in Western Europe, Morocco in North Africa and Malaysia in Asia. Similar agreements are in advanced stages of negotiations in Israel, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Japan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

Goldstone Technologies Ltd chairman Nandan Kundetkar said, “The focus for the IPTV services in Thailand would be on tourism and hospitality industry to leverage the growing travel by Indians to the south-east Asian kingdom.”

The company has got an order for 3,000 set top boxes to be supplied to subscribers in Thailand over the next four months. The company is expecting to sign up about 75,000 subscribers in the first full year of operations of its IPTV services, including from its operations in Thailand.

“IPTV services will be a key growth driver for Goldstone Technologies in the years ahead and we are hoping to launch commercial services of our offering in 10 countries by June this year,” Kundetkar said.

Goldstone Technologies has its network operating center in Taiwan. It currently offers live streaming of 20 TV channels, along with movies in Hindi, English and several Indian regional languages. Goldstone Technologies’ vision is to emerge as the Ethnic TV of the world, starting with millions of the Indian diaspora.

Goldstone also has its IPTV services project underway in India, in association with the public sector Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) over its broadband network.